SOUTH ORISSA

Wednesday, 13 April 2016

The Third Tuesday of Chaitra month, considered the holiest
in the annual calendar of the Tara Tarini Shakti Peetha began with the chanting
of Vedic Mantras on the midnight of Monday. On the occasion lakhs of devotees
had gathered at the hill shrine from Monday afternoon itself. As per the
established traditions the Mangala Arati started at around 12.10 am in the
morning and after the completion of Abakasha, Snana, Mailama Lagi, Sringara,
Chandana Lagi, Panchamruta Bhoga, Bala Bhoga and Khichidi Bhoga the morning
Arati of Adi Shakti was completed in 3.20 am at the Sanctum of the Shrine.
Following it the Bagala Mukhi Besha Darshana for the Devotees started at around
3.30 am in the morning.

As per Hindu Purana and Tantra Shastra this is one of the 04
major Shakti Peethas in India where the twin goddesses Tara and Tarini are
worshipped as the Breast Shrine of Devi Sati and the manifestation of Adi
Shakti.

This famous Shakti/Tantra Peetha is located on the bank of
pious river Rushikulya which is near Berhampur city in Ganjam district of
Odisha.

The goddesses Tara and Tarini are regarded as the presiding
deity (Ista-Devi) in majority of households in Odisha and in many parts of
India.

Around Four lakhs of devotees visited the Tara Tarini Shakti
Peetha on the occasion.

Mundan ceremony of over 10,000 babies (usually performed
during the first year of a child’s life) is done to get the blessings of the
Adi Shakti.

Devotees waited in long queues and dared extreme heat to
offer prayers at the Shakti Peetha on the hill-top and participate in the
Chaitra Mela, one of the biggest and longest religious fairs in the country.

On this occasion, more than 15,000 families and groups were
seen cooking in the surrounding areas of the shrine and had a day of picnic at
the Shrine. This is a unique and thousands of years old tradition at Tara
Tarini Shakti Peetha.

Ganjam District administration and District police made
elaborate arrangements for the visitors. As per the believe devotees climbed
999 holy steps to reach the hill temple. The rope-way which is being operated
by TTDB and Ushabreco Pvt. Ltd. also carried thousands of devotees to the hill
temple. The TTDB also operated buses to carry around 10,000 devotees to the
hill top.

The Temple authorities distributed Pana, Buttermilk and Halwa
Prasad to all the devotees during the entire day.

Special arrangements have been made for the convenience of
the visitors. The TTDB, TATA, Gopalpur PORT Authority and other organizations
set up Tents on the way and in and around the hilltop so that visitors can take
rest and visit the Shrine without any difficulty.

Temporary health camps and drinking water points were also
put up. The volunteers of the TTDB, NGOs and voluntary organizations and local
residents actively helped the devotees who came from various neighboring states
like Andhra Pradsh, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal and from many parts of the
country.

Thousands of volunteers and hundreds of Policemen were
deployed to control the huge rush, therefore the Third Tuesday of Chaitra Yatra
which saw a huge rush passed off peacefully.

More than three lakhs of devotees thronged to Tara Tarini
Shakti Peetha on the second Tuesday of Chaitra near Berhampur city in Ganjam
district of Odisha.

This is one of the major Shakti Peethas in India where the
twin goddesses Tara and Tarini are worshipped as the Breast Shrine of Devi Sati
and the manifestation of Adi Shakti. This famous Shakti/Tantra Peetha is
located on the bank of pious river Rushikulya.

The goddesses Tara and Tarini are regarded as the presiding
deity (Ista-Devi) in ever part of the state of Odisha and in many parts of
India.

On the occasion of Second Tuesday lakhs of devotees had
started gathering at the hill shrine from Monday afternoon itself. As per the
established traditions the Mangala Arati started at 12.30 am in the sanctum of
the temple and after the completion of Abakasha, Snana, Sringara, Chandana lagi
and Panchamruta Bhoga of Devi Tara Tarini the morning Arati was completed in
3.20 am. Following it the Darshana started for everybody after 3.30 am in the
morning.

Joint Secretary of Ministry of Drinking Water and
Sanitation, Government of India Shri Satyabrata Sahu, Commandant of Army Air
Defence College, Golabandha, many other senior central and state government
officials, officials of district administration, Secretary TTDB Shri Pramod
Panda, Temple Executive Officer, office bearers of TTDB and Temple Management
were also present on the occasion.

Mundan ceremony of more than 10,000 babies (usually
performed during the first year of a child’s life) is done to get the blessings
of the Adi Shakti.

Ganjam District administration and District police made
elaborate arrangements for the visitors. As per the believe devotees climbed
999 holy steps to reach the hill temple. The rope-way which is being operated
by TTDB and ushabreco also carried thousands of devotees to the hill temple.
The TTDB also operated buses to carry devotees to the hill top.

Special arrangements have been made for the convenience of
the visitors. Tents have been set up on the way to the hilltop so that visitors
can take rest. Temporary health camps and drinking water points are also put
up. The volunteers of the TTDB, NGOs and voluntary organizations and local
residents actively helped the devotees who came from various parts of the
country.

Thousands of people from far-off places in the state and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh throng the Tara Tarini temple with their babies on the occasion of Chaitra Mela, which started on March 30, 2016.

The temple is one of the famous Shakti shrines in the state, located on the banks of the Rushikulya, about 35 km from Berhampur city in the Ganjam district.

"Shaving the heads of babies and offering their hair is a tradition in Ganjam and its adjoining districts. A company from Andhra Pradesh collects the hair and has offered around Rs 2.25 lakh this time. Last year, the same company had offered Rs 2.6 lakh," temple sources said.

Braving the scorching sun, thousands climb 999 steps to reach the 17th century temple, located about 709 ft above the sea level to tonsure their babies and offer the hair to the goddess every Tuesday of the month.

"About 700 police personnel, including eight platoons of police forces, three additional SPs (Ganjam), one DSP, ten inspector rank officers were camping on the temple premises to oversee traffic management and law and order," said SP (Ganjam) Ashish Singh. He added that no untoward incident has been reported in the temple yet.

Thursday, 22 October 2015

Friday, 9 October 2015

The
famous Sodasha Puja at Tara Tarini Shakti Peeth near Berhampur in Odisha
started from Mulastami i.e. on 04 October, 2015. This Puja will continue till
Mahastami i.e. on 20th October, 2015. In major Shakti Peethas like Kamakshya,
Daksinakali, Tara Tarini, Bimala, Chamundeswari and Maha Kali the Durga Puja is
observed for 16 days, starting from Bhadrapada Krushna Paksha Ashtami to
Ashvina Shukla Paksha Navami of the Hindu Calendar, also known as Shodasa Puja
or Shodasa Dinatmaka Upachara.

Noteworthy
Tara Tarini is worshiped as the Breast Shrine (Sthana Peetha) and
manifestations of Adi Shakti. The Tara Tarini Shakti Peetha is one of the
oldest pilgrimage centers of the Mother Goddess and is one of four major
ancient Tantra Peethas and Shakti Peethas in India.

Amidst
chanting of hymns the Sodasha Puja also known as Devi Utthapana began at Tara
Tarini shrine after 3.00 pm on Mulastami. 108 Sevakas of Tara Tarini Shakti
Peeth brought 108 pots of water from the holy Rushikulya River flowing at the
foothill of the shrine. After rituals of
Snana, Majana, Mangala Arati, Maha Arati, Chhandi Path and commencement of Chandi
Yagna in the established tradition, the goddess gave darshan to her devotees in
the Rajarajeswari Besha and the entire process continued till 12.30 pm next day.

As
per the information from the shrine, the Chandi Patha and Chandi Yagna started on
the first day of Sodasha Puja will continue till last day of Vijayadashami /
Dussehra. Out of the 16 days, the Navratri Puja will start from October 13 and
will culminate on October 21. Navaratri is the last nine days of Shodasa Puja
and the Shakti is also worshiped by devotees in different pandals for a period
of nine days.

According
to the Vedic scriptures, Adi Shakti or Goddess Durgā is a symbol of power. She
is worshipped in nine different forms and is therefore termed Nava-durgā. Each
of the nine manifestation of Durgā are worshipped with full devotion during Navarātri
at Tara Tarini Adi Shakti Peeth. These nine forms of manifestation are
Śhailaputrī, Brahmachāriṇī, Chandrakaṇṭā, Kuṣhmāṇḍā, Skandamātā, Kātyāyanī,
Kālarātrī, Mahāgaurī and Siddhidātrī. It is believed that if worshipped ‘Nava
Durgā’ with religious fervor during Navaratri, it bestows all spiritual
fulfillment to a devotee.

The
Sodasha Puja, Navratri and Vijayadashami are very important and major festivals
in the religious calendar of this Shakti Peeth. During this entire 16 days
period, the sanctum of Maa Tara Tarini remains open round the clock for Darshan
of the devotees. Lakhs of devotees gathering to obtain darshan of Maa during
Sodasha Puja.

Saturday, 1 August 2015

IISERs are a group of premier science education and research
institutes in the country

The Indian Institute of Science Education & Research
(IISER) would come up in the southern city of Berhampur.

"The state government would provide 200 acres of land
for IISER. Academic session would commence from 2016-17", said state
minister for employment, technical education & training Sanjay Das
Burma.

Union finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced the establishment
of IISER in Odisha in the Budget for 2015-16.

"Today is a h istoric day for the people of Odisha
since chief minister Naveen Patnaik today decided to set up IISER at the life
line of southern Odisha, Berhampur in Ganjam district", Dasburma told
reporters here.

"Berhampur has necessary infrastructure like road, rail
and air connectivity, which is in conformity with the central guidelines. This
apart, the state government is committed to provide temporary campus facility
for this institute of national importance in and around Berhampur", he
added.

The IISERs are a group of most premier science education and
research institutes in the country. These institutions have been declared by an
Act of Parliament as institutions of national importance and are intended to be
the IITs of basic sciences. The institutes were created by the Government of
India, through the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), under The
National Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2010.

Five IISERs have already come up in the country at Kolkata,
Pune, Mohali, Bhopal and Thiruvnanthapuram. In the 2015-16 Budget, two new
IISERs were announced for Odisha and Nagaland.

Thursday, 2 July 2015

Minister of State for Civil Aviation informed the Rajya Sabha on 12-August-2014 that Government plans to develop 3 new airports in Odisha at Jharsuguda, Berhampur and Jeypore. The Minister stated that, "a team from Airports Authority of India inspected Jharsuguda, Berhampur and Jeypore airports and observed that the Jharsuguda (AAI airport) can be developed for operations of A-320 type of aircraftwhereas Berhampur (State Government airport) can be developed for ATR-72-500 for which additional 267 acres of land is required. Jeypore (State Government airport) can be developed for ATR-72-500 for which additional 253 acres of land is required". But, the Odisha Govt has failed to identify the required land for the airport in Berhampur and has gone in to complete silence on this issue.

Friday, 29 May 2015

To strengthen the demand for setting up of the proposed IIM Odisha at Brahmapur and to create public awareness on the apathetic attitude of the State Government towards the silk city, the Forum for Ganjam held a drive here on Tuesday. Forum members distributed pamphlets and leaflets among the public at important places like Khallikote Collage, Girja Square, Ramalingam Tank Road, Gandhinagar, Komapalli. The pamphlets displayed information on how Brahmapur has been neglected.

The forum members alleged that ignoring the demand to set up the proposed IIM at Brahmapur, the State Government is contemplating to have the institute in Sambalpur or in Bhubaneswar. Form coordinator Sidhir Sahoo and members J Suresh, Rajendra Panda and Rabi Kumar, among others, joined the awareness drive.

Friday, 24 April 2015

The state government on Thursday approved the proposals to upgrade Khallikote Autonomous College, Berhampur and, RD Autonomous Women's College, Bhubaneswar to universities.

Higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahy told the media that the universities would function from 2015-16 academic year. RD will become a women's university. Around 50 women's colleges, which are under Utkal University, will be affiliated to it. The exact shape of the university and its affiliated colleges will be decided soon. Besides the existing 25-acre campus, the government will look for another 25 acre for its second campus, the minister said.

Khallikote will be part of a cluster university, comprising five nearby colleges. The other four are S D Women's College and Binayak Acharya College in Berhampur, besides colleges at Chhatrapur and Gopalpur, the minister said.

The government will spend Rs 55 crore each on infrastructure development of the two universities. The funds will be drawn from Rashtriya Uchhatar Shiksha Abhiyan, a central-sponsored programme for higher education.

Monday, 20 April 2015

In view of popular demand, the district administration in Ganjam has extended the famous Thakurani Yatra on April 19, 2015 in Berhampur by 11 days. The biennial festival, which started on March 28, will continue till April 27, officals said today.

Initially, the district administration had allowed the festival committee to hold the yatra for 20 days even though the latter had sought permission for 31 days.

"Several people approached the district administration requesting for extension of the festival", said Sub-Collector (Berhampur) Nikhil Pawan Kalyan.

The festival is attracting huge crowd from different places and hundreds of the people are thronging the Silk City to witness the famous Yatra. Locals dressed like mythological characters are seen moving around the city and so are chariots in different shapes like boita (ship) and doli (swing).

Saturday, 21 March 2015

The famous Budhi Thakurani Jatra
of Berhampur will start from March 28 this year and will continue till April
27. Preparations for the biannual festival have started at the Desibehera
Street in Berhampur after the Subha Khunti (auspicious post) was laid on March
12.

Devotees in huge numbers expected
to visit the temporary temple at the Desibehera Street at the time of Jatra,

Devotees in huge numbers expected to visit the temporary temple at the Desibehera Street at the time of Jatra,

“The construction of the
temporary temple at the Desibehera Street has started, it will take four more
days to complete,” informed the craftsman of the temporary Mandap Dasarathi
Maharana. The Jatra begins with the arrival of the floral sign of the deity
(Aagyamala) to the temporary temple. This will be followed by Ghata Yatra in
which the Aagyanmala will be taken on a public procession around the streets of
Old Berhampur.

As devotees in huge numbers are
expected at the time of Jatra, the Public Health Department has planned to
increase drinking water supply in the Bada Bazar area.

As informed by the Executive
Engineer of PHD Deba Sundar Mahapatra, around 20 temporary stand points will be
placed in Desibehera Street and the nearby places. Water tankers will be
positioned on different squares of the city at the time of jatra.

Sunday, 1 March 2015

A group of intellectuals of different social organisations and civil society forums on Wednesday demanded rail connectivity from Gopalpur to Phulbani and extended connection with the Khordha-Balangir railway line.

The intellectuals including Sriya Nayak, Dr Subash Chandra Sahu, Deepak Pattnaik and Sudhansu Panda said the Kandhamal district of south Odisha is yet to get railway connectivity. As communication is one of the vital components of development, people of the district are deprived of it, they added.

They said the rail connectivity would help to develop the economy standard of these areas. Rail connectivity to the Gopalpur port would not only create jobs, but also enhance business in the State. Kandhamal, which is famous for its spices like ginger and turmeric and forest goods, would get easy connectivity to market its products. It would also help to attract investment in the region, said the intellectuals.

Thursday, 19 February 2015

The famous Maa Tara Tarini Chaitra Yatra of Ganjam is going to begin from March 10. As per traditions, it will be performed on the four Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra. Keeping in view the flow of lakhs of devotees to the temple, the district administration held a preparatory meeting at Chatrapur on February 10. Revenue Divisional Commissioner (SD) and chairperson of the Tara Tarini Development Council Sailendra Narayan De presided over the meeting.

Old Image of Tara Tarini Shakti Peetha :Braving heat lakhs of

devotees standing in long queue to enter the famous Tara Tarini hill temple

(Breast Shrine of Shakti) near Berhampur city in Ganjam district, Odisha

Ganjam Collector Premchand Choudhury explained the significance and pride of the heritage temple and the famous yatra and sought the cooperation of all the service wings of the district administration and people of all walks of life for smooth and successful conduct of the yatra.

The meeting, among other things, decided to make the entire region of Maa Tara Tarini Temple free from polythene, construct adequate rest sheds to protect devotees from possible heat wave, provide drinking water, put in place effective traffic system for transportation of devotees, provide temporary healthcare camps and sanitation in the temple premises, deploy fire fighting vehicles and ODRAF team, prohibit sale and consumption of liquor and other drugs in the region, repair and renovate all approaching roads on war footing and construct temporary toilets for devotees, among others.

It was also decided in the meeting that the Chatrapur Sub-Collector will review the progress of the preparatory work once in each week till the yatra begins. A master plan for all-round development of the temple was presented. The committee advised the chief of the Technical Committee Binod Kumar Patra to complete all the pending works on war footing.

Wednesday, 24 December 2014

This is how the state government in Odisha cheated the public on the IIM establishment issue. Actually the State Govt had decided about the location of IIM beforehand and it was just looking for an alibi to justify its decision. The 'airport' clause was self inflicted by the State government to hoodwink the people of Ganjam who tried every possible civilised method to convince the State Govt on the historic necessity of IIM in Berhampur. However, Odisha being Odisha here civilised methods and passionate appeals just does not work despite valid considerations of equity and distributive justice.

Sunday, 16 November 2014

Odisha Govt should follow the old Saying, "Dont put all your Eggs in One Basket" and for all round development Education must be evenly spread across the State. Images of BERHAMPUR BANDH demanding establishment of IIM at Berhampur

Silence is not the answer to the problems facing South Odisha. If we remain silent today we will have no right to complain in the future. Because remaining silent will mean supporting the present development template being followed by the State Govt. Every citizen in India has right to development and the people of South Odisha cannot be denied this right. The questions raised here are certainly from the perspective of Berhampur city which is agitating for the IIM, but we do know that every single individual in South Odisha and Ganjam is equally concerned about the enigmatic silence of the Statate Govt on development issues after garnering their votes. This is not acceptable and we have to shout at the loudest to be heared by a Govt which is completely deaf and bereft of a sense of equity and justice.

Berhampur erupts in protest against the State Government's highly retrograde moves on the establishment of IIM. Students across the district protest against the biased decision even as more aggressive protests have been planned for the coming days.

People not ready to give up yet on the IIM-Berhampur demand. Massive agitations planned in the coming days. BJD loses its credibility in Ganjam as it is accused of stage-managing the whole episode. Handling IIM establishment issue proves lowest point in Naveen Patnaik's career as Chief Minister even as corruption charges flying thick and fast against the State Govt.

People of Ganjam and Berhampur fought for the establishment of IIM-Berhampur against all odds. But they were fighting against a highly biased State Government, arrogant and drunk with power who have displayed scant respect for distributive justice. Not only Berhmapur city; for 90% of Odisha this decision comes as a big letdown. However this cannot be the end of the story and with greater public awareness we can set bigger goals for Berhampur and Ganjam and aspire for our rightful space in a developed India. Not to be disheartened and time to work with greater vigor and enthusiasm for the cause of Berhampur.

This is the right time to expose the State Government which has taken the people of Ganjam and South Odisha for granted.These questions follow from the opinions expressed by the readers in the previous post. As responsible citizens you are free to give opinions outsides the choices indicated on the path forward for Berhampur city, Ganjam and the backward southern odisha.

Ganjam produced a former President of India, Former PM PV Narasimha Rao was MP of Berhampur, Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Sadasiva Tripathy, Binayak Acharya, Biju Patnaik and his Son went on to become Chief Ministers of Odisha. Yet 10 lakh people from Ganjam live in the slums of Surat, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Not even a screw and bolt factory has not been built in Ganjam and the last major Institution (the Berhampur University) was established in the district almost 50 years ago. For last 5 decades Ganjam is crying for development but Ganjam people are as passive as ever. If they do not wake up now to question their leaders, then better they should prepare to live like slaves. The question is not only about the IIM; it is about self respect. Some people are saying that Berhampur does not have the infra to host an IIM. But then the question is who is responsible for poor infrastructure in Berhampur and Ganjam. So, time has come when people must speak up and oppose the continuous neglect of the State Govt.

The decision on IIM site selection, if true, should serve as a lesson for the people of rest of Odisha (Ganjam in particular) that they are second grade citizens and aliens in their own State who are remembered only once in 5 years during elections as they dont enjoy the rights same as the State capital. See how audacious the corrupt BJD Govt in Odisha has been on the IIM issue? The CM has no time to assuage the people of Berhampur who are on hunger strike demanding the establishment of IIM and the decision is being selectively leaked through the media about the decision to establish yet another central Institute in Bhubaneswar, now the IIM.

Does the CM even know about the IIM-Berhampur agitation? He is silent as ever and the Berhampur MP goes missing every now and then to appear only during elections. With such representatives who denied even the Smart-city tag to Berhampur; people are bound to be frustrated